His Raven
by WhimsicalAdoration
Summary: I'm tired of all the one sided romance between Tiger Lily and Peter Pan. It starts off that way, however, but develops into more. Can the Princess overcome the struggles that threaten to prevent her from true happiness?
1. Chapter 1

Darkness crept over the Island, enveloping it in a atmosphere of austerity that was only reserved for the grimmest of morgues. The moon shone bright against the velvet black sky and despite its luminous brilliance, it proved worthless in bringing some sort of solace to the Island's solemnity. Pan was gone, and without him, the small spot of land was doomed to an existence of dejection.

"He's out on another one of his adventures." Chief Big Little Panther murmured under his breath as he stared up at night sky. The usual cloudlessness was gone, replaced with wisps of menacing nimbus. He rubbed his gloved hands, attempting to chafe them back to life with warmth as a cold breeze hit him.

"Yes, he's definitely off the Island."

He was sitting in front of his hut, a small fire building up in front of him, its crackling flames casting dancing shadows on and around him.

"Probably finding another Bird."

He turned to the sudden voice that broke his concentration on his hands and smiled when he realized it was none other than his only daughter.

"Ah, Tiger Lily, sit down my dear child. It's becoming colder now that White Feather is gone. He'll be back soon, I'm sure of it. But in the meantime, won't you share the fire with me?"

His usual hard demeanor could only be softened by his precious adopted daughter. He rarely smiled and when he did, it was within her presence. A small smile crept upon her lips as Tiger Lily took a seat on the dirt floor next to her father, the bitterness in her aura gone.

"Father, do you know where White Feather goes when he leaves?"

He shook his head and in his deep, raspy voice he replied, "White Feather is unpredictable, who knows where his spirit takes him."

She stared into the pit of the fire and pursed her lips. Tiger Lily knew perfectly well where he went, she just wanted clarification. Her father offered her none whatsoever and she thought bitterly to herself what a fool he must be to think that Pan was unpredictable. But she instantly regretted it and knew he only said that to quench her mock curiosity. Despite having the appearance of a sixteen year old, she had the wisdom of someone beyond her years. She, along with the rest of her tribe and the inhabitants of the Island, was ageless. She had witnessed in her hundreds of years of life, Pan bring home numerous amounts of girls, each one pretty and innocent, clinging onto the notion that he loved them. A funny thing Pan's love was, it could be as tepid as the still waters of Mermaid Lagoon or as passionate and fiery as the fire that was slowly beginning to grow in front of her. She noticed that each girl had the same quality among them, they were docile creatures, doing whatever within their power they could to please him. Tiger Lily believed that Pan grew tired of that attribute, but found her confidence in the idea faltering when she felt the blistering cold breezes subside and adopt their usual still warmth. Pan was back, and Tiger Lily and Chief Big Little Panther craned their necks into the night sky to try to find the magical young man flying gracefully through the expanse of midnight blue before them. Surely, they found their beloved Pan treading the air accompanied by three other silhouettes, one of them catching Tiger Lily's attention in particular with their billowing skirt.

"He brought another one. White Feather brought another one." She exclaimed incredulously, almost whining at the sight above her. She ran her calloused hands through her inky black hair, almost exasperated that Pan had brought another one of his Birds.

"Father, may I please retire to my room." She asked quietly, regaining her composure. All this time, the Chief had been poking at fire, merely enjoying what he thought was a bonding experience for him and his daughter; since she had stopped aging physically, he found his time with her fleeting as she became more interested in the world around her. He looked up and the happy features that adorned his leathery face were replaced with that of hurt and confusion.

"What's troubling you my child, Pan is back. All is well now."

"Yes, but it is what he brought back with him that disturbs me."

She haughtily got up and dusted off her buckskin dress.

"Goodnight Father, and may you sleep well."

"As do you, Tiger Lily. Goodnight, daughter."

She walked to her hut calmly, with the air that only a princess of muster. She looked back to watch her father put out the flames, feeling a pang of guilt when she realized he had stayed up longer for her. She shook it off however, when she reached her hut and opened the flap. She collapsed to her knees when she entered, tears threatening to escape earth colored eyes. There was no mistake that Pan had brought what she thought he did. Two boys to add to his troupe of acolytes and one nightdress clad female to satisfy his desire for someone to fawn over him. Tiger Lily felt her throat tighten at the very thought of Pan holding this girl and showering her with his effortless praises.

"Why did he have to bring another Bird."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Tiger Lily woke up just as the sun was starting to rise over the Island's tallest peak. She had overslept. She sat up, still wearing her buckskin dress, strands of her dark hair stuck to her cheeks from the dried tears that she hasn't bothered to wipe away. She smacked her lips together, mouth and throat parched from her own negligence. Tiger Lily poked her head outside her hut and looked around the village. People had been up for quite some time, as they had been putting away breakfast dishes and utensils, some of the women even preparing the cornmeal and leftover meat over a new fire to serve for the next meal. Her stomach rumbled and she sighed at the thought of asking one of the stout wives for a late breakfast. Tiger Lily approached one of the tribe's squaws, who was sitting on her knees, scraping the thin layer of tissue off a fresh boar hide. The young girl demurely asked for a piece of the meat cooking over the fire next to them, but the older woman guffawed and slapped her hard thigh like she had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"You should have risen with the sun like the rest of us. You will now wait until midday's meal."

Tiger Lily huffed at the insolence of the thick belted woman. But she relented, despite knowing that the tribe's food supply hut had a plethora of snacks to choose from. She accepted her punishment and walked along the packed red dirt expanse of their territory to her father's hut.

"Father?" She asked aloud, "May I come in?"

She heard the grunt of approval he always gave whenever he was too busy to reply verbally. She entered and found him carving a staff of wood with intricate designs and details. She sat on her knees placidly across from him and bowed her head before snapping it up to look at his handiwork.

"Father, may I go off the perimeter of the campgrounds?"

He stopped carving for a split second before looking up at her slowly.

"Now why would you want to go off the campgrounds?" He inquired almost rhetorically, returning to his carving, "You have everything you could possibly want here, dear child."

She pursed her lips looking for an excuse to go off and find Pan's newest Bird, to observe her in this environment. But she faltered, something Tiger Lily had been doing a lot recently. It was as if the mere idea of Pan loving another took her very spirit away. She shook it off, mentally however, and looked up to see her dads dark eyes boring into her.

"Well?" He pressed on.

"I... I wish to see this season's hunt. I hear mating season for the deer was incredibly successful and I wanted to see what our hunters are expecting."

She mentally slapped herself at such a stupid excuse. She found that it made no sense, every year was a successful mating season for the deer and every year the hunters came back with more than enough meat to get them through till the next hunt. But despite it all, she steeled herself and looked up at her father's beaming face.

"Ah, Tiger Lily, so young and already looking out at for the tribe's welfare like a natural born leader. Of course you may go, but you must take Wolf Claw with you. I want you safe, and I want you home before nightfall, understood?"

She nodded and smiled through gritted teeth. Wolf Claw, was twice her height and thrice her size. But he had received the name when he valiantly protected the village with his bare hands from a savage wolf. Her father had wanted to play matchmaker since she had started developing and she found herself in Wolf Claw's company more than she wanted to. It wasn't that he was unattractive or even repulsive, but he was too overprotective and suffocated her with his close watchful eye whenever they ventured out into the woods together. She wondered if he acted like that on her father's behalf or if it would carry on like that if they ever married.

Tentatively, she stood up, and with a graceful flourish of her hand, she bid her father goodbye. He nodded in return and excused her.

The walk into the woods was quiet and awkward, with Tiger Lily walking in front of Wolf Claw like a child would with its mother. The forest with thick and dense, with the occasional chirp or rustle of tree branches pierce the still silence. Tiger Lily wandered aimlessly, turning this way and that through the expanse of the woods, knowing very well that she was heading in the opposite direction of the hunt's breeding grounds.

"Where are we going, the deer are that way." Wolf Claw asked incredulously, pointing in the appropriate direction.

"I know where I'm going, do not question me." She retorted coldly, before stopping and turning around to face him. She stood erect, nose up in the air to look him in the eye.

"Wolf Claw, I do not need your assistance with my task. Go back to the village and tell my father that I deem to prove my worth."

All lies, she knew, but anything to get this burly man off her trail.

"If I am to be the future Chief of the village," She continued, "I must expect to be given the same treatment as one."

The height difference between them and her attempt to assert herself created a funny picture. Wolf Claw looked into her golden brown eyes and cracked a smile, relaxing his posture.

"Tiger Lily, you know very well I cannot leave you alone. It goes against your father's wishes."

And yours as well, she thought bitterly. However, she squared her shoulders even more and crossed her arms tighter. Time for the final blow. She silently prayed that her reasoning would work.

"If you cannot think for yourself, then how do you expect to make a decent husband," she challenged, holding out her hand in a bored fashion to inspect her fingernails.

She looked up at him, and smirked when she saw his dark cheeks turn a deep red.

"What are you saying.." He trailed off slowly, suddenly interested in the foliage around them.

"What I'm saying is, how can you be a good husband if you can't even decide something on your own." She knew she was getting to him, marriage had been on his mind long before she even knew what the bond meant, "For example, letting me venture on my own."

She knew it was some sort of trickery, to fool him into letting her find Pan. Even Wolf Claw did not want her alone, especially with the fair skinned womanizing imp that tormented their villagers every now and then. But the prospect of marriage to the Chief's pretty daughter and the idea of having his ego deflated swayed him otherwise.

"Alright, I see." He stepped back, brawny arms hanging limp at his sides, "But be sure to return before nightfall."

He turned around and walked a few paces before sprinting off, his long dark hair flying in waves behind him. She sighed to herself, why couldn't he find another girl to pursue.

Tiger Lily knew where Pan's hideout was, it was located underground, its only entrance through a rotted old tree. After what seemed to be an hour of trekking through the dense foliage, she finally reached her destination. The old oak tree looked ready to collapse, its branches naked and withered. She could hear the sound of mirthful laughter and the clanking of wooden weapons hit each other. She steadily hoisted herself into one of the secret entrances of the old tree and climbed down, darkness enveloping her for a brief minute before she fell on a comfortable pile of animal hides and saw the soft luminous light from the lanterns that hung on the ceiling. The quarters was in utter chaos. Prepubescent boys ran around, hitting and shouting at each other, wooden swords held high in hand. Laughter resounded through the atmosphere and the warm glow made Tiger Lily feel at ease. She got up from her position on the hides and walked through the surging crowd of rowdy boys. Some paid no heed to her, others, however stopped enough to give her the proper greeting of the day.

"Pan's in his room if you want to see him," one of the older boys, Slightly was his name, offered.

She nodded in thanks and made her way through the overwhelmingly occupied room to Pan's private quarters. She stopped before entering through the narrow, pelt covered entrance. He wasn't alone.

"Oh Peter, did you really cut off his hand and feed it to the crocodile?" A feminine voice asked breathlessly.

"I did, sliced it clean off," Pan replied proudly, and Tiger Lily was sure he was crossing his arms and smiling cheekily with his chest puffed out.

Tiger Lily cleared her throat and lifted the pelt to enter the large makeshift chamber.

Beside Peter, who sat on the moss covered floor, was a young girl of about fifteen, with golden hair and cobalt blue eyes. She wore a pretty nightgown, the light blue material complimenting her fair skin perfectly.

"Tiger Lily!" Pan exclaimed excitedly, jumping up from his spot on the floor to embrace her. She stiffened up at his touch and looked at the girl disdainfully over his shoulder. She straightened out her dress and hair and made eye contact with the demure girl who only looked at the two with mock interest from her place on the floor.

"Tiger Lily," he said again, looking at the Chief's stoic daughter with a warm smile, "I'd like you to meet Wendy."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The girl called Wendy stood up from her place on the moss covered ground and curtsied in front of the Native Princess.

"How do you do," she greeted, the tight curls at the nape of her neck bouncing as she dipped her head down. Tiger Lily looked at her lithe figure, unamused at the spectacle before her while Pan smiled widely, showing his pearly white teeth.

Wendy rose back up and smiled sweetly, her nose and eyes crinkling as she did so. So the girl had been raised to play the damsel, Tiger Lily thought. Pan sauntered over to Wendy, away from the Princess and placed a toned arm around her, much to the dismay and discomfort of the third party.

"She tells the most wonderful stories," Peter broached, not noticing how Wendy placed a petite hand over his draped forearm, "And sings beautifully."

Wendy didn't blush and stammer modest denials like the other girls had before her time on the Island; she certainly knew she did all the things Pan bragged about her, annoying Tiger Lily unimaginably.

"Hm, how quaint," mused Tiger Lily, a tight lipped smile plastered on her face, "She's just like a little bluebird."

Pan nodded in agreement enthusiastically, oblivious to Tiger Lily's subtle insult; she would often hunt the tiny bluebirds on the Island to practice her aim, all the while getting better with each arrow shot. Wendy seemed to feign flattery at being complimented by a Princess, looking down almost cherubically at her slippered feet.

"I've been showing her around the Island, but I haven't taken her to your tribe's campgrounds," Peter began, removing his arm from around the blonde's shoulder and looking meaningfully at Tiger Lily, "I wanted to know if that'd be alright with you and the Chief."

It was a funny thing to have Pan ask for permission to do something, especially when it involved exploring the Island, the very world the revolved around him. But when it came to the Princess and her people, he had the upmost respect. They were skilled fighters, evenly matching his Lost Boys, and he wouldn't start a war for his own selfish desires. Pan was many things, but not cruel. Tiger Lily looked at the girl before her, her stoic expression never faltering as she scrutinized her.

"Let me think about it," she drawled out, clasping her hands behind her back, "You forget that I do not speak for my father."

Wendy looked almost indignant that she wasn't allowed immediate entry to the sacred tribal grounds, but reverted back to her sweet, eyelash batting expression when Pan turned to her.

"I'm sorry, but whatever the Princess says is most likely what the Chief says as well."

He shrugged, knowing Tiger Lily's response didn't affect him personally; he knew he was welcomed any time to her home with open arms.

Finally, turning to the ink haired young woman before him, he asked, "Won't you stay for dinner, Cubby made Owl Stew?"

The small huff that escaped Wendy's lips only made Tiger Lily all the more eager to accept his invitation.

"Of course, dear White Feather."

/

"Why do they call you White Feather, again?"

Peter dodged a piece of chewed bone that was thrown in his direction as Wendy continued asking more of her questions.

"Well, it's something Tiger Lily's tribe does that marks something significant that happened to them or something they did," He began, raising his voice amongst the crowd of boys that yelled and ate sloppily at the long wooden table, "they give that person a name that'll stick with them forever, it's important to them and every name is carried out with pride."

He looked at Tiger Lily, who sat to his right and smiled; she was listening intently to his explanation, lost in thought and remembering when Pan was given his own name.

Wendy looked fascinated, placing her chin on her propped up hand and practically swooned.

"What do you think my name would be," she asked, making Tiger Lily cringe at the thought.

The Princess grimaced and began to hastily eat the stew that Cubby had prepared, as if trying to get a bitter taste out of her mouth. It was delicious, but it didn't help. No one asked for a name, it was given to them upon earning it.

"I'm not really sure," Pan replied, working his charm, "your hair is so blonde and pretty, I'm pretty sure they'd call you Golden Leaf or Sun Ray, what do you think Tiger Lily?"

She practically choked on a peace of fowl's meat when he turned to her, coughing up a fit only to quench it by haphazardly drinking from a hollowed gourd.

"Excuse me," She apologized, thumping her chest repeatedly to help digest the food before regaining her composure again, "I cannot say, she hasn't done anything worthy of a name."

Wendy gasped, her thin eyebrows furrowing. Her pouty lips pursed into a tight line as she slammed a small fist onto the table, failing to make the Princess jump. The table was nothing more than a giant oak trunk cut and smoothed to resemble a table, and Tiger Lily smirked inwardly at how Wendy's hand must have hurt from the impact.

"And how exactly did you get your name," Wendy countered, fury evident in her tone, "were you out picking a bouquet for your mum?"

Tiger Lily's eyes flashed angrily, for a brief moment that is, before she cooly took a sip of water to calm her down, and turned back to Pan's insolent guest. The copper haired young man was caught in between the crossfire, but made no attempt to evade it, he simply poked at his now cold stew and swallowed thickly.

"I'll have you know that I was named after my father found me under a giant Tiger Lily." She retorted smoothly, "It was pouring and the large leaves kept me dry. I was so little, and so lucky that he was hunting deer in such weather."

"That flower," she continued, her chest pressing against Pan's shoulder, causing him to bite his lip and poke at his food even more, knowing how there was usually a calm before the storm with this particular young woman, "that flower was what kept me from being lost to die in the rain. Chief Big Little Panther, my father, found me because its color was so vibrant among the dense green."

Tiger Lily narrowed her eyes at the angry blonde and sat back down in her seat.

"If it were up to me, I'd name you Crowing Magpie. It suits you."

Dinner continued on with both girls glaring daggers at each other.


	4. Chapter 4

Dinner ended horribly to say the least, with Tiger Lily storming off even before most of the boys had a chance to realize what was happening. Wendy smirked triumphantly, knowing she had gotten the best of the warrior Princess. Pan began pushing himself out of his seat to run after her, but Wendy caught his arm.

"Please stay, Peter," she requested, a pleading look on her face, "I think she needs some time to herself. Let her cool down."

Pan opened his mouth to protest but relented when he realized Wendy was partially right; she didn't know it, but Tiger Lily was a force to be reckoned with whenever she was upset, and he knew perfectly well that the blonde had done quite enough to accomplish that. He sat back down and his own hazel eyes met her blue ones. She leaned in, her eyes closing briefly before he pushed _her_ away gently, evidently not wanting to return her gesture.

"You know, you said some pretty cruel things to her, Wendy."

She stiffened and retracted the hand that was still placed on his sturdy bicep, not used to his rejection.

"I don't know what you mean, Peter." She smoothed down her already pressed nightgown primly, clearing her throat.

She didn't look at him when she said it, fearing he would notice her reddening cheeks.

"All I'm saying is, I've been friends with Tiger Lily a long time," he sounded stern, which made Wendy begin to fidget with one of the wooden bowls in front of her, "I would like you two to be friends, her loyalty is something worth treasuring."

Wendy bit her lip and looked down, almost ashamed of herself. Almost. She didn't like being lectured like a child, especially by someone who had no sense of responsibility. Wendy felt him get up from his own chair and walk off, possibly to find Tiger Lily. The Lost Boys had left the table long before the confrontation between Pan and her in favor of playing games, leaving the downtrodden girl alone.

/

"Tiger Lily!" Pan shouted across the dense expanse of the woods before him, "Where are you!"

He smacked away branches, hopped over thick fallen trunks and trekked through muddy banks in his search for the Princess. He would stop every so often to listen to the quietness of the woods, hoping to listen to anything that resembled the Princess's voice.

"Tiger Lily!" He shouted once again, startling some birds in the dense canopy of leaves and branches.

He felt a calloused hand cover his mouth and push him against one of the rough oak trees.

"Will you be quiet!" The owner of said hands snapped, and Pan's eyes lit up when he realized it was none other than the Princess. He tried to evoke her name in excitement but it came out a muffled mess of soft grunts. Her hand was still clamped against his mouth and she found herself looking into his eyes, as if searching for something.

"She isn't welcomed in the village, Peter," she said slowly, as if it almost pained her, "and as long as she is here with you, neither are you."

It was childish, Tiger Lily knew, but something about the seemingly perfect young woman made her muscles clench with anxiety. She was so polite, so saccharine that it made left a horrid taste in her mouth. And to make matters worse, she was shameless in her possessive nature over Pan.

Pan ripped her hand from his mouth and revealed the frown that had taken on his features when she said those very words.

"Tiger Lily, how could you say that, we've been friends for... for..."He trailed off trying to find the right words to express himself, knowing no concept of time to describe their relationship, until finally he bore his gaze into hers and uttered the very word she dreaded:

"Forever."

She tensed up, eyes flashing with anger and hands clenching. Her nails dug into her palms, leaving little red crescents that were sure to hurt when she paid attention.

"We haven't been friends forever," the last word dripped with a sort of bitter venom that even she couldn't understand, "all you do is leave and find some pretty doe eyed to have wrapped around your little finger."

"You leave and everything becomes like death, there's no sun, there's no warmth or anything that makes this place bearable," she continued, losing herself in her verbal onslaught, "you have no idea how it makes us feel, how it makes me feel, you're so selfish and you bring this- this girl who knows nothing about our way of life to spit on it and mock me."

Tears pricked her eyes and Pan could only stare, glassy eyed at this young woman before him, who confessed more than she cared to. He stayed pressed against the tree, watching her as she ripped the eagle feather out of her hair, embarrassed for herself and for everything she did to find him, and threw it onto the ground. He gasped.

"Does all this mean nothing to you, you can't speak for me, we haven't been friends, we're not friends, you have no idea of the concept!" She lifted her leg to kick it along with the pile of dirt it lay on, but Pan moved her away and picked it up, blowing the dirt and other particles off the worn feather.

"Tiger Lily..." He breathed, hand clutching her cherished hairpiece, "don't say things you don't mean."

She cried out, a soft high pitcher whimper as tears finally cascading down her cheeks; she snatched the feather from him, ashamed that he was the only man in her life who could make her cry. Ashamed that he could see her cry. He could easily break down the wall she built around herself and he would be unapologetically hers, and she would melt into his touch and forget about her reputation as the fierce, stoic princess. She fingered the vane of her most prized possession, tears seeping into the chest of her tunic.

"You don't understand, you'll never understand." She murmured solemnly, sniffling and wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

He didn't reach out for her, he didn't even offer to wipe her tears, but he stayed with her in the oncoming darkness of the forest, listening to her delicate sobs and bitter nothings. Was this what love was?

Author's Note: I wrote this because I love this pairing. I mean if you ship Wendy and Peter, then good for you. But I can sit with you for hours and tell you why Tiger Lily is perfect for him. I'm not really sure how to continue this story, so please drop a review or PM me or whatever. And my other account is RedDahlias (I forgot my password) if you wanna give me some feedback on those stories... Cause it'd be sweet if you did. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The sobs that wracked her petite frame subsided and Pan took the opportunity to break the still silence with something other than wailing. Tiger Lily was a princess, but her tears were large and raw, sloppily sliding down her cheeks and gathering untidily under the tip of her nose. Unlike Wendy, whenever Tiger Lily cried, it was for a true purpose.

"Why... Why were you crying, Tiger Lily?" He asked suddenly, licking his dry lips. He was unsure whether to ask her such a thing, afraid to embarrass her even more. Pride was something the two shared, but he was willing to swallow his own if and only within her sole presence.

"You don't get it, do you Peter?" She never said his first name, causing him to snap his attention to her lips, startled by the sudden unfamiliarity that evoked from them. She placed the feather she held back in her hair and sighed, looking at his darkened figure.

"She's going to take you away from the Island you know," Tiger Lily continued, not sure where she was going with her spat rant, looking occasionally around the dim lit woods to find some sort of comfort, "do you think she wants to be here forever?"

"I never planned on having her stay-"

"Yes you did." She cut off sharply, scowling at the idea of him lying to her.

"You brought her here, you even brought her brothers hoping she'd stay. She's pretty isn't she, Peter?"

Tiger Lily looked up at him, an unfamiliar feeling overwhelming her body. Was this what true jealousy felt like? She had never gotten this worked up over any of the other girls he brought. Sure, there was Samantha with her plain face and timid personality, and Agatha with her fiery red hair and attitude to match, and even the sophisticated Elisa, who made Tiger Lily feel so inadequate with herself during her time on the Island. She had never felt so strongly about any of them. They merely left at the break of dawn to be deposited in their beds and never returned. She had hoped Pan would tire of them, and he did. She was surprised she even remembered their names. Tiger Lily looked at Pan, almond eyes calculating and scrutinizing his face. He was handsome, to say the least, with a strong chin and sharp nose. It was his eyes that drew her to him though. She found herself sighing at the sight of them, the hazel colored eyes that held so much wonder and mischief. Tiger Lily snapped out of her trance immediately, prodding him in the chest with her slender finger.

"Well?" She barked, almost feeling sorry for the cornered prey she was about to devour, "Answer me, do you think she's pretty or not?"

Pan didn't know where all this had come from, he approached her as a friend and here she was spouting arguments like she was his wife and he had cheated. He held his hands up, backing further into the tree, a surprised look adorning his face.

"Peter," she stated softly, the tips of her ears feeling hot, "Do you love her."

Silence befell for what seemed ages before be answered her.

"I... I don't know."

She whimpered, the look of betrayal written on her face. Her lower lip quivered and she fought valiantly to keep it from igniting the oncoming tears that would ensue. He looked guilty, but only for a second before steeling himself and dusting off imaginary dust from his green tunic. Pan was feeling more awkward by the second, wishing he could disappear from the Princess's anguished stare.

"Tiger Lily, what's all this coming from... We're friends. Don't you remember all the adventures we had together?"

He said it so sincerely, so desperately, but she braced herself for the upcoming blow that he was sure to deliver.

"Wendy... She's not like the other girls, she doesn't want to grow up," he looked wistfully away from her, before turning to face her again, "She's our mother, you know."

Tiger Lily knew what he meant by that; he had gone on and on about finding someone to nurture the Lost Boys, to love them and tell them stories. Why hadn't he gone to her? She wasn't as affectionate as Wendy was, but she certainly cared for the little ones that followed in their leader's footsteps. She could tell stories, stories about the pixies and their endeavors, of the carnivorous mermaids that swam and seduced any male that dared venture near them. She knew so much, so much that she wanted to share with Pan and his boys. But despite her efforts to be noticed, he never even so much as gave her a second glance when it came to Wendy.

"Your mother," she breathed out, slightly disgusted with the fact, "How do you expect her to be your mother if you don't intend for her to stay?"

His mouth opened and closed, like the captured fish that her tribe caught by the river. He couldn't form any sort of protest, let alone any words to deny her accusations. So he had lied to her. Tiger Lily shook her head in disbelief, forlorn that the trust she had was slowly dissolving. In her daze of watching him still try to form a coherent thought to dissuade her, she noticed how his face was illuminated by the soft beams of the moon. She was late.

"I have to go." She broke out suddenly, advancing past him and the tree he leaned against.

She felt a tug at her wrist and she saw his pleading look, the soulful eyes and pursed lips that made her want to stay. But she relented and snatched her arm away.

"If you know what's best, you'll leave me alone."

She stalked off, her moccasins leaving no evidence of her presence. Pan watched her figure disappear into the brush. And for a moment, he could've sworn he felt his heart ache for her to come back.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was expected for Chief Big Little Panther to be sitting at the heart of the campgrounds, the fierce fire that was roaring and crackling behind him casting an intimidating shadow around him.

She was late and despite his cold and calculating gaze, he had trembled underneath his bison hide cloak when Wolf Claw returned without her. The idea of losing his only daughter frightened him.

"Where is she! You were supposed to be watching her!" He had bellowed, face red with fury.

Despite the Chief unleashing the rare untamable wrath upon him, Wolf Claw stood his ground and explained what the Princess had told him. Chief Big Little Panther quieted down, albeit still upset with the fact that his most trusted warrior was stupid enough to desert his potential future wife. He had dismissed Wolf Claw in a huff and sat down where he was now, staring at the campground's only entrance.

He saw her figure emerge from the darkness, and as she drew closer, he noticed her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes were rubbed red. All intent to scold and punish her was put aside and he stood up fluidly, rushing to her.

"Tiger Lily, where have you been?" He asked, cupping her face with his large hands and thumbing away her tears.

Tiger Lily couldn't lie to her father, and she contorted her face at the idea of telling him where she actually was. He would be livid, to know that his daughter was alone with Pan. Despite how both parties coexisted, the Lost Boys were notorious for their rowdiness and destructive personalities. He respected Pan as a fighter and a leader, but he never allowed Tiger Lily to be alone with him.

"I was in the woods."

"Wolf Claw said you didn't go to the deer's breeding grounds. Where were you?"

His tone shifted, edging closer to what Tiger Lily recognized as the beginning of his temperamental fits. She knew better than to leave out part of the truth.

"I was in the woods," she repeated, her face heating up from both embarrassment and the feeling of her father's hands, "arguing with White Feather."

She averted her eyes, not wanting to see her father's reaction as he dropped his hands limply.

"What were you doing with White Feather, you know interaction with him is forbidden."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know talking with White Feather was forbidden."

He nodded solemnly.

"Why did you lie to me to go see him."

Tiger Lily bit her lip, scared of letting her father know her true intentions. He would be beyond livid when he found out his only child was enamored with Pan. Since he found her, he had wanted her to marry one of his strongest warriors and rule the tribe dutifully when the time came. She decided to leave out the whole truth, instead nitpicking it to her advantage.

"He brought over another bird, one with blue eyes and yellow hair..." She trailed off, remembering how Wendy was taken aback when she was denied entrance to the village, "and he wanted to know if he could bring her."

The Chief's face hardened at this, and he released his daughter from his clutch as he stared into the darkness behind her, deep in thought.

Tiger Lily had continued and swallowed thickly.

"I said no. She isn't welcomed."

"Daughter, why would you deny White Feather's friend entrance to our home?"

Tiger Lily's eyes grew darker, and she crossed her arms solemnly.

"I do not trust her. And if you do not agree with that father, than I suggest you reevaluate your decisions as a leader."

She knew better than to talk to her father like that, but she wasn't going to let him allow Wendy to invade her only haven away from her.

/

Soon, the village was peacefully sleeping in their huts. Nothing disturbed the stillness of the night, not even the crackling fire that had died down. Tiger Lily awoke with a pain in her head, and she made up her mind to leave the sanctity of her village for a walk in the woods. The earth beneath her feet was cold and hard but she made no intention of retreating. The deeper she got into the forest, the more her pain went away. The thick brush and foliage were no obstacle for her and she treaded as soft as ever. She came across a tree, one with a large trunk and soft moss to lay on. She rested her weary head and stared up into the sky. It was beautiful with the millions of twinkling stars adding light to the darkness of the Island.

She heard the rustling of branches but thought nothing of it, and the last thing she remembered was being lulled to sleep by the tune of a pipe. She had never slept so soundly.

Author's Note: Sorry, this chapter was short and shitty. I kinda lost interest in it. I've been working on one I have more passion for and I feel bad because I left you guys hanging. I loved your feedback and the fact that you took the time to give me reviews, but I don't think I'm going to update as often. I'm not completely abandoning the story, but it isn't my priority anymore. My other story is called To Be Decided btw and it's in the Hetalia fandom if you're interested. Thank you so much! Until next time.


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